A redirect sends a browser, search crawler, or other retrieval system from one URL to another. A 301 redirect communicates that the move is permanent, while a 302 redirect communicates that the change is temporary.

Both redirects can move visitors successfully. The important distinction is what each status code says about the future of the original URL. That signal can influence indexing, canonical selection, caching, and how search systems consolidate information between URLs.

301 and 302 Redirect Comparison

Primary differences between 301 and 302 HTTP redirects

Consideration	301 redirect	302 redirect
Meaning	The resource has moved permanently.	The resource has moved temporarily.
Original URL	Generally expected to leave the index over time.	Generally expected to remain the primary URL.
Search signals	Signals may be consolidated with the destination URL.	Signals generally remain associated with the original URL while the change is temporary.
Typical use	URL changes, page consolidation, HTTPS migration, or a permanent domain move.	Short-term testing, temporary routing, or a page that will return soon.
Reversal	Possible, but browsers and intermediary systems may cache the redirect.	Expected to be reversible because the move is temporary.

The practical rule is straightforward: use a 301 when the old URL should be replaced by the new URL. Use a 302 when the original URL remains valid and is expected to return.

What Is a 301 Redirect?

A 301 Moved Permanently response tells browsers and retrieval systems that a resource now has a permanent location. The response includes the destination in its Location header.

For example:

HTTP/1.1 301 Moved Permanently
Location: https://example.com/new-page/

Search engines generally interpret a 301 as a strong signal that the destination URL should replace the original URL in search results. Relevant link and indexing signals can be consolidated at the destination, although processing takes time and the outcome is not determined by the status code alone.

When to use a 301 redirect

• A page receives a new permanent URL. This may follow a change to the site’s naming conventions or URL structure.
• Two or more pages are consolidated. Older URLs can redirect to the most relevant surviving page.
• A website moves to a new domain. Each old URL should ordinarily redirect to its corresponding location on the new domain.
• HTTP pages move permanently to HTTPS. Redirects help establish the secure versions as the preferred URLs.
• Duplicate URL variants need consolidation. Variants involving trailing slashes, capitalization, or hostname conventions may redirect to one consistent form.
• A discontinued page has a meaningful replacement. The destination should satisfy substantially the same need as the removed page.

What happens to the original URL?

After search systems process a permanent redirect, the destination may replace the original URL in their indexes. This transition is not always immediate. Crawling frequency, internal links, sitemap entries, canonical signals, destination relevance, and conflicting technical instructions can all affect the process.

A 301 does not erase the old URL from the web. Requests to that address still reach the server, which then returns the redirect response. Redirects should therefore remain active for as long as people, bookmarks, external links, or crawlers may continue requesting the old URL.

What Is a 302 Redirect?

A 302 Found response indicates that a resource is available at another URL temporarily. The original URL remains the expected long-term location.

HTTP/1.1 302 Found
Location: https://example.com/temporary-page/

Search engines will often retain the original URL as the indexed or canonical address because the redirect says the change is temporary. They can interpret redirects differently when other signals conflict or when a supposedly temporary redirect remains in place for an extended period.

When to use a 302 redirect

• A short-term test uses an alternate page. A 302 can route some requests without declaring a permanent move.
• A temporary campaign changes the destination. The established URL can remain the long-term address.
• Availability changes briefly. Visitors may be routed to a closely related resource while the original page is temporarily unavailable.
• Routing depends on a temporary condition. This can include short-lived regional or operational requirements, provided users and crawlers are treated consistently.

A redirect is not always the right response to site maintenance. If a page or an entire site is briefly unavailable and has no appropriate substitute, an HTTP 503 Service Unavailable response may communicate the situation more accurately. A Retry-After header can indicate when access is expected to resume.

How to Choose the Right Redirect

Choose the status code by answering one question:

Should the destination replace the original URL permanently?

• If yes, use a 301 redirect.
• If no, and the original URL will return, use a 302 redirect.

This decision should reflect the actual publishing plan rather than a perceived ranking advantage. A temporary redirect used for a permanent change sends an unclear signal. A permanent redirect used for a short experiment can be difficult to reverse cleanly, especially when it has been cached.

Use destination relevance as part of the decision

A redirect should lead to a page that meaningfully continues the original request. Redirecting every deleted page to the homepage does not preserve relevance merely because the server returns a 301 status.

If no comparable destination exists, allowing the old URL to return a 404 Not Found or 410 Gone response may be more accurate. Redirects are useful when a genuine relationship exists between the old resource and the new one.

301 and 302 are signals, not guarantees

Search systems combine redirects with internal links, canonical tags, sitemap records, content similarity, HTTP responses, and other technical signals. A 301 strongly communicates permanence, but it does not force a search engine to index the destination or preserve a particular ranking.

Likewise, a long-running 302 may eventually be interpreted as permanent if the surrounding evidence suggests that the original page is not returning. Clear and consistent signals make the intended relationship easier to understand.

Redirect Implementation Practices

Redirect directly to the final destination

Avoid unnecessary redirect chains:

Old URL → Intermediate URL → New URL

Where possible, update the first redirect so it points directly to the final destination:

Old URL → New URL

Shorter paths reduce latency, simplify crawling, and make redirect behavior easier to maintain.

Update internal links

Even when a redirect works, internal links should point directly to the current URL. This avoids making browsers and crawlers take an unnecessary additional step.

Internal links also help communicate the site’s present structure. They are part of the broader relationship between internal linking and retrieval context, not merely a way to move traffic between pages.

Keep technical signals consistent

After a permanent move, review related systems and references:

• Internal links should use the new URL.
• XML sitemaps should list current canonical URLs rather than redirected ones.
• Canonical tags should normally identify the intended current URL.
• Alternate-language annotations should use current URLs.
• Navigation, structured data, feeds, and downloadable documents may need updates.
• Important external profiles or controlled citations can be updated when practical.

This work belongs naturally within content governance: redirects should be documented, reviewed, and maintained as part of the site’s evolving information structure.

Test the HTTP response itself

Opening a URL in a browser confirms that a visitor reaches a destination, but it does not always reveal the complete redirect path. Use an HTTP inspection tool, command-line request, crawler, or browser developer tools to verify:

• the returned status code;
• the destination in the Location header;
• whether chains or loops occur;
• whether query parameters are retained when needed;
• whether the destination returns a successful response; and
• whether mobile, desktop, and crawler requests receive consistent treatment.

Remember that some permanent redirects are cached

Browsers and intermediary systems may cache redirects, particularly permanent ones. This is one reason not to use a 301 for an uncertain experiment. Redirect caching forms part of the larger behavior described in browser caching.

Common Redirect Mistakes

• Using a 302 for a permanent migration. This leaves the site’s long-term intent unclear.
• Using a 301 for a temporary test. Permanent redirects can be cached and may encourage indexing systems to consolidate around the test URL.
• Redirecting unrelated pages to one destination. A successful HTTP response does not make an irrelevant destination useful.
• Creating chains or loops. These slow requests and may prevent users or crawlers from reaching the intended page.
• Leaving internal links pointed at old URLs. Redirects should support historical paths, not replace ordinary site maintenance.
• Redirecting all missing pages to the homepage. A genuine 404 or 410 response is often clearer when no replacement exists.
• Removing redirects too quickly. Old links and bookmarks may continue sending requests long after a migration is complete.
• Ignoring request methods. With some clients, 301 and 302 responses can change a non-GET request into a GET request. The 307 and 308 status codes provide more explicit method-preserving behavior.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a 301 redirect pass all ranking value?

A 301 allows search systems to consolidate signals from an old URL with a new one, but “ranking value” is not a fixed quantity transferred independently of context. Destination relevance, content quality, internal linking, canonical signals, and the overall migration all matter. A redirect cannot guarantee that rankings will remain unchanged.

Can a 302 redirect be used for a long time?

It can remain technically active, but a long-running 302 conflicts with the message that the move is temporary. Search engines may eventually interpret it differently based on surrounding evidence. If the change has become permanent, the redirect should usually be updated to a 301.

What is the difference between 301, 302, 307, and 308 redirects?

301 and 308 indicate permanent moves. 302 and 307 indicate temporary moves. The important additional distinction is request-method handling: 307 and 308 explicitly preserve the original HTTP method and request body, while historical client behavior around 301 and 302 may convert some requests to GET. For ordinary webpage navigation, 301 and 302 remain common; application endpoints may require closer attention to method preservation.

Redirects as Part of Website Maintenance

Redirects preserve useful paths while websites change. Their role is not to conceal missing content or manufacture relevance, but to communicate an accurate relationship between an old location and a new one.

Use a 301 when the destination is the permanent successor to the original URL. Use a 302 when the original URL remains the long-term address and the change is genuinely temporary. Then support that decision with direct internal links, current sitemap records, consistent canonical signals, and periodic testing within the site’s broader maintenance workflow.